1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of musical instrument stands, and in particular to musical instrument stands having self-releasing instrument cradles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Musical stands are commonly used to support an instrument in an upright position so that damage from tipping and striking a hard surface is eliminated. These stands are needed by musicians who play one or more than one instrument in a band or orchestra, and who often have to switch between one instrument or the other. In such instances, the musician is typically rapidly switching from one instrument to another and therefore has need of a stand which will not only provide effective support but also aid in the rapid transfer of the instruments. One type of instrument stand commonly used in the past utilizes a clamp which bears against the instrument body when the instrument is placed in the stand. Such stands suffer the disadvantage that when the musician attempts to pick the instrument up from the stand, the clamp does not release immediately and therefore two hands (or other means) would be required to separate the stand and instrument, one gripping the instrument, the other the stand. The procedure is awkward, particularly when the musician plays in an orchestra or band in either a formal setting or in situations where the rapid transition from one instrument to another is required. While this problem could be alleviated by increasing the weight of the stand or affixing the stand to an immovable object, it is required that these units be lightweight and preferably collapsible, as each musician typically owns not only his own instruments, but also the musical instrument stands in which these are placed and commonly carries these with him from engagement to engagement.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an instrument stand wherein the instrument cradling mechanism is self-releasing so that the instrument may be removed from the stand without requiring the use of both hands or some other means.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an instrument stand wherein the musical instrument is protected from damage from the contacting surfaces.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a musical instrument stand which is collapsible into an easily carried configuration.
Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will be apparent from the description hereinbelow.